Fallen Star Mountain, Outer region.
Far away from the lake where Lin family people camped, there was another small camp enough for a dozen people. Inside a tent, the Young Master was seated with two elderly figures.
"Elder Tu, elder Wu, I will require your assistance this time."
"Ping, you don't have to worry, Patriarch already informed about the mission," said Chang Wu. He was an elder of Yang family "We cannot let Lin Xue'er flee. Here's the plan two Patriarchs made. They are currently camped to the east of lake Moonshine, You will lead the main team and attack their camp from the opposite side. Me, Elder Tu and two more elders from both Yang and Ma families will attack from the North and South and trap them so that they have no place to flee. Whatever happens, we must capture Lin Xue'er."
"Yes, that's the similar order I got from our Patriarch as well, but she surely has one or even two elders protecting her in secret. We need to gather enough information," said Shen Tu, an elder from Ma family.
"Elder, there is another slight problem," said Young Master Ping, this was the same Young Master Ping of Yang family that had recently proposed marriage with Lin Xue'er.
"Oh, what happened?" asked Elder Tu.
"On their way, they found a wounded expert, who is at least at Qi Sea realm. His true cultivation is unknown. We just know that he was besieged by tens of rank-1 and rank-2 beasts and managed to kill all of them whereas he got seriously injured," said Yang Ping.
"Mmm, to kill that many beasts he should at least be at late or even peak stage Qi Sea realm. All four of us combined are still not his match if he was in his prime, but injured I am uncertain. We probably have a chance, but it's better not to take a chance. I will inform my family to send Grand Elder, Elder Tu please send message to Ma family as well," said Chang Wu.
"Okay, but Grand Elders of the Lin, Ma and Yang family are all at late Qi Sea realm. We cannot have both Grand Elders here as they plan to attack Lin family and there will be no one who can match Grand Elder from Lin family, perhaps Yang family Grand Elder and some more elders from Ma family will be enough," said Shen Tu.
"Elders what if he is above Qi Sea realm?" asked Yang Ping.
"That is not possible. If it is, then no amount of backup will help us, we can only try some other time. But we don't know how far that expert is willing to go to help the Lin family," said Chang Wu "The problem I see is if he runs away with Lin Xue'er when the situation seems tight, then the whole operation plan is ruined. Elder Tu please try to get your Grand Elder to come as well. The two Patriarchs are enough to handle the Lin family."
"You don't know, last year all three Patriarchs fought, but Patriarch Lin defeated our two patriarchs singlehandedly. But fine, I will try, see you later," said Shen Tu and left the tent.
Watching him leave, "Damm that bastard!" Chang Wu cursed.
"What happened elder Wu?"
"That sly bastard Shen Tu, no wonder he came before others, you see Ping, the Ma and Yang families have formed an alliance to attack the Lin family and completely take over their assets," said Chang Wu.
"But I still don't understand is why you called Elder Tu sly?"
"How can you not understand such a simple matter? You are the next head of Yang family, you have to think far ahead and learn to consider all the cause and effects when making plans," continued Change Wu "Let me ask you if our Grand Elder comes here, what happens after we defeat the Lin family?"
"Since our Grand Elder is here, if a fight breaks out while distributing the spoils, no one can match Ma family Grand Elder, we would have to compromise," exclaimed Yang Ping.
"It's not IF, Ma family will definitely start it," Chang Wu shakes his head, "They have nothing to lose from a conflict, only gain."
"Then what if we ask Grand Elder to stay in the city and ask some elders to come instead?" asked Yang Ping.
"Are you willing to take a chance of letting Lin Xue'er escape?" smiled Chang Wu.
"No" Yang Ping was adamant.
"Not just that, not even Patriarchs of both Ma and Yang families will take a risk leaving behind an enemy with such potential. What if she leaves and comes back as an expert a couple of years later? The whole family will be exterminated. Even if she were untalented, Patriarch knows how much you love Lin Xue'er, so he will definitely send Grand Elder. Even the Ma family Patriarch can guess that that's why they can afford to send only elders," said Chang Wu "anyway, they are determined to kill Lin family patriarch, Lin Jian. Even if he managed to escape, once we arrange for you and Xue'er to be wed, he will definitely show up."
"But why? Why is everyone rushing to kill Patriarch Lin?"
"Because we got information that he achieved peak Qi Sea realm several years ago, same as our City Lord and not just that he is attempting to form Golden Core," said some shocking information.
Gasp, Yang Ping draws in cold breath. Golden Core realm is the peak of Pure Mist Country. Even the ancestor of Pure Mist Royal family is just 5th stage Golden Core realm expert.
Golden Core realm was a major hurdle for cultivators. Cultivators start by drawing Qi from their surroundings to refine their bodies, this realm is called Body refinement realm. After the entire body is refined and made suitable for Qi cultivation, they open up their dantain and enter the Qi Condensation realm where Qi can be stored, but the stored Qi still has a lot of impurities and is in the Gas state. Once a cultivator manages to turn all their Qi into Liquid and form a Qi Sea, they enter the Qi Sea realm and start expanding their Qi Sea in this realm. After expanding the Qi Sea to the maximum, there is a major hurdle that most cultivators could not pass. There are three requirements to form a Golden Core. First is the size of Qi Sea the larger the better, if the size is smaller, there will be insufficient Qi to form the core. Second is pressure, the pressure is required to compress Liquid Qi so that it transforms into Solid Core. This pressure can be created in their dantain with enough accumulation over time or with the help of a high realm cultivator, but it requires at least Earth Spirit Realm King cultivator's help and finally, they must succeed in going through Golden Core tribulation. Most of the cultivators on the continent fail to go through the tribulation or couldn't even muster enough courage to face it. The City Lord of Fallen Star City is such an example. He could already compress Qi Sea into a core but doesn't dare to for fear of the tribulation.
"How true is this information?"
"Very true" replied Chang Wu.
'So that's why everyone's flustered' thought Yang Ping but at the prospect of marrying Lin Xue'er soon, he started grinning foolishly.
Shaking his head "Young Master, you don't understand what's at stake here," said Chang Wu "You see, you and Patriarch are only focusing on present without thinking about consequences. Think about it, once Ma family swallows most of the Lin family, they would be a step ahead of us, a couple of years later with these resources, they might have a dozen new elders what will our Yang family do at that time? Leave Fallen Star City? Will Ma family allow us to do that? Anyway, I know what the Patriarch will say, he will definitely send Grand Elder here. I just hope we made the right choice."